Politics 2012

Whether itís for your local city council or for president of the United States, you have a say. In America we have one right that many take for granted. That is the right to vote. Be an informed voter, click for more information.

Elections Calendar

The 2012 Oklahoma elections calendar has yet to be released. Will update soon as published.

Established under the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma in 1907, the Oklahoma State Election Board is the administrative agency for the conduct of state elections and the oversight of the state's 77 county election boards.

Where Do You Fit?

Are you unsure what the difference is between a liberal, a conservative, a Democrat, or a Republican?

Conservatives (Right) prefer self-government on economic issues, but want official standards in personal matters. They want the government to defend the community from threats to its moral fiber.

Liberals (Left) prefer self-government in personal matters and central decision-making on economics. They want government to serve the disadvantaged in the name of fairness. Leftists tolerate social diversity, but work for economic equality.

Libertarians are self-governors in both personal and economic matters. They believe government's only purpose is to protect people from coercion and violence. They value individual responsibility, and tolerate economic and social diversity.

Authoritarians want government to advance society and individuals through expert central planning. They often doubt whether self-government is practical. Left-authoritarians are also called socialists, while fascists are right-authoritarians.

** The above definitions are from World's Smallest Political Quiz, which is based on the Nolan Chart. Definition links take you to Wikipedia

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How to Elect a President

Your vote does count, but in a roundabout way.

To determine which candidates are going to be on the ballot in, most states use a presidential primary to select delegates. Other states use a series of caucuses and conventions. Delegates from each state go to national conventions, where they announce the party's official candidate.

On the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, we get to vote. The president is elected in a two-step process. The popular vote is totaled to select a state's presidential electors to the Electoral College. The number of electors assigned to each state is equal to the number of Senators (always two) and Representatives that the state has in Congress, Oklahoma has 7. The electors from each state will meet on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December to cast their votes for president.

A president is elected by an absolute majority of the electoral votes cast. If no majority is received, the House of Representatives selects the winner from the top three candidates. If no candidate receives the majority vote, the U. S. Senate selects the winner from the top two candidates.